One Stumble At A Time
by Silla-Rosie-Write-Again
Summary: The game begins. For every move made, there is a consequence.
1. Quite A Tumble

This story is co-authored by Acain Keyrose and Lady Nosila. This first chapter is written by Lady Nosila and the next is written by Acain Keyrose. If anyone is wondering why we are doing this, it is a game between sisters...hope you enjoy the game as much as we will, or at least the story that comes from it. Thank you to all who read and to those who review.

Chapter 1: Quite A Tumble

"Arg…how…am I still alive?" Alice moaned sitting up. She had fallen into a hole…well, actually she was tossed in. And it had been a big hole. "That was quite a tumble…" She rubbed her head, sure she had landed on it, only to feel surprised that not it nor any other part of her body hurt. How could she be completely fine after falling so far?

She slowly opened her eyes to scan her surroundings. Her breath hitched at the sight of open sky beyond a brick wall. Her gaze flashed down to the stone floor she lay on, then darted around once more. Behind her was a brick structure…a building of some sort. Where was she? In some sort of enclosed courtyard? Or perhaps a balcony? Where had her kidnapper, that rabbit-eared man, gone off to?

"Welcome to wonderland, Alice." She gasped and twisted back around to see him perched on the wall, his ears perked up on the top of his white-haired head. Her shock and confusion smothered all previous concern for the moment as she stuttered at his declaration. Though her questions had been relatively answered, she was just as lost as she had been a moment ago.

"W…wonderland…" She'd never heard of it. The mere name of it sounded ridiculous. That was not the only thing that bothered her though. "And how do you know my name!?"

He smiled smoothly, almost fondly at her. "Yes…wonderland. And of course I know your name. I'm in love with you, Alice."

Her jaw dropped, her face paling slightly where it normally would have reddened at such a confession. _A stalker_?!

He tilted his head slightly, his smile growing. He was such an odd man that she did not doubt her suspicions for an instant. His white bunny ears twitched on his head, swerving to catch sound while his gloved hands rested over the pockets of his red plaid coat. He looked so proud of himself-so happy!

Suddenly Alice felt a wave of agitation, drowning all curiosity and anxiety.

"H-hey! You brought me here without permission!" She jumped to her feet, jamming her finger in his direction in an authoritative way. "Take me home immediately!"

He did not quite frown, but his smile did falter slightly. "Home?" He smiled widely again and stood, slowly stepping toward her. "But I brought you here to find happiness. You can't leave when you just arrived." He deftly fished a small bottle filled with red liquid from his pocket as he moved, stopping within reaching distance of her. She wanted to flee, but her pride and anger held her firm. "To participate in the game though, you must drink this medicine."

"G-game?" Alice suddenly recalled her sister leaving the garden to fetch a deck to cards before she'd fallen asleep. "What game? And I am _not_ drinking that!"

"Oh, Alice my dear, what I spoiled child you are." He sighed with a chuckle, the serene smile never leaving his features. Her hand itched to smack him, see if he'd still smile then, but he popped the cap of the vial off before she could move. To her astonishment, he lifted it to his own lips while a gloved hand grasped her chin firmly, forcing her face up. She tried to tug away from him, pushing at his chest, but it was useless. He was too quick and strong. The now empty vial dropped to the stone floor so he could snake his other arm around her back to pull her closer. Before Alice could so much as protest, he swooped down and pressed his lips to hers and there was nothing she could do to stop him.


	2. A Forced Resolution

AN: This is Acain Keyrose, and I apologize that it took so long to post this chapter. Long story short, my computer broke. Anyway, here is the next installment of the epic tale written by two sisters; One Stumble At A Time.

Chapter 2: A Forced Resolution

The white haired man's lips were warm against Alice's, causing her mind to go blank and jaw to drop in shock. Why was he kissing her?! Her wild confusion turned to hot fury when she felt a liquid slide down her throat. He was taking advantage of her gaping mouth and making her drink the strange liquid from the bottle!

She resumed the struggling that the surprise of the kiss had made her momentarily stop and finally managed to break free- but it was too late. He had already forced her to drink all of the "medicine".

Alice panted heavily and glared at the man as he moved away from her with a smile, "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

"You... you...!" the girl's hand had gone to her violated mouth and she wanted to scream and hit the male, but instead she fell to the ground and sputtered as a hot blush spread across her features.

The white bunny-eared man walked calmly away, either ignorant of Alice's distress or not worried by it, but paused to look over his shoulder and beam at her, "My name is Peter White."

And then, just like that, he was gone

Alice, who hadn't moved since she fell to the ground, remained in her position until the dazed fog left her blue-green eyes, quickly being replaced by rage. That _jerk_! First he forced a kiss on her- her _first_ kiss- and then he left her god knows where!

She stood up and her fists clenched as she spoke his name out loud, "Peter White…"

Eyes blazing angrily she made a resolution: that bunny-eared weirdo was going to get a swift punch in the gut the next time she saw him, and she _would_ see him again. She'd make sure of it.

Before she could do anything to enforce what she had just decided upon a voice near her made her jump, "Who are you and what are you doing here?"


	3. The Clockmaker

In case I did not mention it before, Alice arrives at night time, as she does in the original story. Sorry it took so long to write this chapter, I am much busier than Rosie. Anyway, here is chapter three, and our game continues.

Chapter 3: The Clockmaker

Alice spun on her heal to see a tall man. He was just as handsome at the Peter, though in a more elegant way. His long, dark indigo colored hair was tied loosely at the nape of his neck and delicate spectacles perched on the bridge of his nose. He wore a dark suite and coat that would have been normal-looking if not for the giant clock hanging from his neck in place of a tie. His thin lips were curved into a scowl while his dark eyes studied her. She gaped at the newcomer for a moment, once more at a loss for words, before realizing that she must have looked terribly stupid with her mouth hanging open. She snapped her jaw shut and squared her shoulders.

Offering a shaky yet friendly smile, Alice managed to say, "My name is Alice Liddell," and gave a small curtsy.

The man shifted slightly as his eyes narrowed, yet when he spoke his voice was not nearly as hostile as before. "What are you doing here?" He repeated.

"Um…well…you see…I'm not sure." She replied. He lifted an eyebrow questioningly and she continued. "I was kidnapped by this guy with rabbit ears, Peter White, and-"

"White?"

"Yes. Anyway, he forced me to come here and to drink something then abandoned me. I have no idea where I am or how to get home!" She finished rather hysterically. Meeting his calm gaze, Alice managed to reign in her panic again. He sighed, shoulders slumping as he reached up to rub his eyes. Without looking up he stepped away from the doorway.

"You say he made you drink something?"

"Um…yes. He said it was medicine…" Alice mumbled, eyes dropping in search of the vial. Perhaps the man would know what the substance was and give a better explanation about her situation. She spotted it a few feet away. She picked it up and held it so the man could see.

At the sight of the clear vial, he sighed again and moved from rubbing his eyes to his temples. "You drank that?" Alice thought that his repetitive questions were annoying, only nodding in answer while a fresh frown slid into place. "Then I am afraid, Miss Liddell, that you cannot go home."

"W-what?!"

"By drinking that you have been trapped in this world." He paused as if considering something. "Am I correct in assuming that you are a foreigner?"

"Well yes, I am not from here…wherever here is, but what do you mean I can't go home, Mister." Alice realized that she did not know his name.

"Monrey. Julius Monrey. And I mean exactly what I said." He walked smoothly across the stone floor to the brick wall. He turned back to her and motioned to the landscape behind him. "This is Wonderland."

Alice moved to stand beside him, taking in the strange new world. The first thing that drew her eye was the massive castle surrounded by a huge maze and garden and lit up brilliantly from the inside. It was not every day that a girl got to see such an elegant and impressive structure. The forest between the building on which she stood and the castle only enhanced the picturesque scene that could have come right out of a storybook. Or at least it could have if not for the Amusement Park positioned nearby. Alice took in the lights and various rides, wondering if perhaps she was actually dreaming. Across from the park was a massive mansion, but Alice barely glanced at it, her attention being drawn to the figure at her side.

"This is the Country of Hearts in Wonderland." Julius stated, his voice monotone. "It is broken up into four territories, three of which are vying for power in a civil war. That is Heart Castle, ruled by the Queen of Hearts. Gowland runs the Amusement Park and the Hatter is in charge Mansion." The girl nodded, looking back out over the land. "This is the Clocktower. It is a neutral zone. I am the clockmaker."

"I see." _I must be dreaming. And he still has not really explained why I can't go home._

Alice leaned slightly over the wall and took just how high she currently was. She could barely make out the trees lining the edge of the forest surrounding the tower. Squinting through the darkness she could barely see a road leading away, snaking through the trees toward Heart Castle. She was about to pull back when she noticed a light, such as from a lantern, bobbing along the trail. It was a man on his way toward the Clocktower. She could make out a flash of red, illuminated by the light he carried.

"Um, Mr. Monrey…Julius…I think you have a visitor."

"What?"

"There is a man coming this way. See?" She explained pointing. Leaning over the wall as well, he sighed once more, sounding very tired.

"It seems I have more work to do. I suggest you consider finding a place to stay for the night, since I doubt you'll want to just stay up here." Julius began to move away when the glowing dot suddenly made a sharp turn to the left, disappearing into the forest.

"Oh. I guess he wasn't coming here after all." Alice mumbled only to jump slightly when Julius groaned loudly in exasperation.

"Ace…Where is that idiot going?!" Before Alice knew it, he was walking briskly toward the door leading into the tower. Stunned, the girl glanced one last time at the forest and the strange new scenery before rushing after him.

"Wait! I don't have anywhere to go!"

"You're a foreigner. You can go anywhere and the residents will be more than happy to provide for you."

"C-could I perhaps stay here?" Alice asked, pausing in the door way while Julius marched down the dark stone spiral staircase that was lit only by lamps spaced periodically along the walls, his footsteps echoing around them. She quickly followed. "I mean, it is dark out..." Which was odd since it was day when she was kidnapped. But then again, dreams rarely made sense.

Julius did not answer her, and Alice began to think he planned to throw her out into the dark unknown. He made a sharp turn into a hallway, catching her by surprise. Stumbling slightly, Alice placed a hand against the wall to steady herself as she continued to follow him.

She somehow managed to avoid walking into him when he abruptly stopped walking in front of a door. Gasping, the girl looked up as Julius glance over his shoulder at her.

"There is not much space here, and this room is used for storage and is most likely very dusty, but it has a bed. You may stay here for the night if you wish. Now, if you excuse me."

Alice watched him go, her mouth open to thank him, but he was gone around a corner before she could make a sound. She knew she had been dismissed, just as she understood that though he gave her the cold shoulder, Julius was actually quite kind. Smiling to herself, Alice opened the door. Moonlight streamed through the large window across the room. Everything was coated in a thick layer of dust and boxes and bags lay about haphazardly on the floor and furniture. She had to move quite a few off the bed to make room for herself. The clunking of metal made her pause until she recalled that Julius was a clockmaker. The boxes were probably full of spare parts and tools.

Alice felt surprisingly very tired despite having been passed out less than an hour before. Perhaps it was the stress of having her fist kiss stolen after being kidnapped by a man with rabbit ears. Laying over the covers since she was unwilling to crawl under such dirty sheets, Alice stared out the window. She could not see the moon, and was glad for it since it gave off an eerie yellow glow.

Rolling onto her side, Alice wondered if her sister noticed she was missing yet. Perhaps she was not missing at all and would wake up in her family's garden. Her eyes drifted closed and Alice tried to ignore the musty scent of the bedding. _This is all a dream and come morning, all would be well again_.


	4. A Doomed Endeavor

Chapter 4: A Doomed Endeavor

Sunlight streamed through a small window, landing on the lumpy form that lay under the covers on a bed. The lump began to shift with a groan before it sat up and the comforter slid back to reveal a half-asleep Alice.

She stretched her arms high over her head and yawned, "What an odd dream. Men with bunny ears, some weird civil war, a _clockmaker_… it was definitely strange."

It wasn't until that time that she really looked around the room she was in, realizing that what she thought was a dream wasn't a dream at all, but real… or the dream wasn't over yet. She decided to believe the second possibility. Alice straightened and darted glances around her, seeing the dust-covered boxes, bags, and furniture still strewn across the floor messily, also noting that sometime throughout the night she had ended up crawling under the musty blanket.

With a swallow she pushed the covers aside and slowly put her feet on the floor, looking down at herself. She was almost as dusty as the rest of the room, she observed with a wrinkled nose. Huffing in mild annoyance she stood and patted the dust off of her the best she could, not that it did any good. She still looked like she'd rolled around in it. Remaining dissatisfied with her appearance but knowing she wouldn't get any cleaner without a bath she decided it was time to leave the room and see the man that had been kind enough to give her a place to sleep.

The dark blonde picked her way carefully through the maze of things on the floor until she reached the door out, which she fell against with a soft _oomph_ when she tripped over the last box. When Alice opened the door she couldn't help but think that it had been a lot easier to get inside the room than it had been to get out of it.

Now out in the hallway she closed the door behind her and padded softly in the direction she saw Julius go in last night. She passed by multiple doors and went down various hallways, not quite sure where to go, but thinking she should probably go down. When she came across some stairs leading in just that direction she went down them until the stairs stopped at a door that sat only feet in front of her.

A little uncertainly she grasped the doorknob and twisted, hearing a soft click before the door swung smoothly open. She was greeted by the sight of a spacious room with various bookshelves that were completely filled, a table with chairs tucked neatly in, and a desk in the center where none other than Julius Monrey sat.

There was another person in the room, though. It was a tall man with unkempt brown hair and brown eyes who stood in front of Julius with a grin. He wore black pants with knee-high black boots and a mostly unbuttoned red coat that had black lining and went down to his lower legs over a black shirt. Like the other men she had met here so far he was definitely attractive.

During the process of looking at her surroundings she had unconsciously walked through the door into plain slight, the sound of the door closing behind her being what broke through her somewhat dazed observations. The sound of the door closing also made the two men in the room look over at her.

"So you're awake."

Alice nodded at Julius's words as she eyed the stranger warily, the stranger staring back at her with a raised eyebrow and an interested expression, "I didn't know you had a guest, Julius."

Even though the stranger only said a simple statement he sounded upbeat and energetic when he did, making Julius reply in monotone, "I found her at the top of the Clocktower last night." He paused, as if deciding whether or not he should say any more before adding, "She's an Outsider."

The man's eyes widened, "Really? Woah! I've never seen one before!"

Without any explanation the stranger walked over to Alice and began to walk around her in interest, looking her over top to bottom. Alice, feeling a little uncomfortable at the man's scrutiny, cleared her throat for his attention. He stopped his actions and blinked expectantly at her.

"My name is Alice Liddell." The girl gave a small curtsy as she spoke, "May I ask who you are?"

Seemingly taken aback at her politeness the man's eyebrows rose even higher, but he did smile and answer with an exaggerated bow, "My name is Ace, Ms. Liddell."

Alice gave a small nod before turning to Julius, "How long was I asleep?"

"Not too long, only a few time periods."

The girl frowned; time periods? What does he mean by that? Alice was about to open her mouth to question it when Julius spoke.

"Alice, was it?" she nodded, "Do you know what you're going to do now?"

"What I'm going to… do?" Alice blinked, considering, "Well… if what you said before about me being unable to leave… Wonderland… is true, then I guess I'll need a place to stay." Now uncertain the girl bit her lip, "Um… Mr. Monrey… Julius… Sir… is it possible for me to stay here?"

Julius frowned and stared at her, "What?"

"Well… uh," Alice swallowed, "I have nowhere else to go, and you were already kind enough to let me stay the night, and I can help around here too, if you'd like. If money is a problem then I'm sure I can find some kind of work so I can pay you…"

She trailed off, not knowing how to continue. Julius had taken pity on her last night and let her sleep for a while, but letting a complete stranger live with you was something else entirely.

Julius, who had been staring at her through slightly narrowed eyes, sighed, "Very well. You may stay."

"Really?" Alice smiled brightly at him, "Thank you!"

"Just don't bother me while I'm working and find ways to amuse yourself elsewhere."

Alice nodded, "Alright!" she paused, suddenly remembering something, "Actually… there is another thing. Do either of you know where someone called Peter White might be?"

"Peter White?" Ace spoke up, having been quietly watching the exchange between Alice and Julius until this point, "I know him. He's the Prime Minister at Heart Castle, where I work."

_Prime Minister?_ Alice thought disbelievingly; _there's no way he's a Prime Minister!_

"Actually," Ace continued thoughtfully, "I have to go back to Heart Castle after I leave here. You'll probably find him there."

"Oh, can I come with you?" Alice asked.

Ace grinned, "Sure!"

He grabbed Alice's hand and led her to a door as Julius stood from his seat and protested, "Wait, Ace, that's-"

Before he could finish Ace opened the door, went inside with Alice following, and closed it again.

Julius sighed and rubbed his temple, "-the closet."

The door swung open again and Ace laughed, "Wrong way! See ya, Julius!"

With that he led a somewhat bewildered Alice to the actual door out and left, leaving Julius standing alone in the room shaking his head, "I pity her."


	5. Amazing Circumstances

Here is chapter five. Sorry for takings so long to update. It's Rosie's move now;)

Chapter 5: Amazing Circumstances

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" Alice asked after several minutes of following her guide as he pushed his way through thick underbrush. He just kept grinning happily, humming to himself and glancing back toward her out of what she guessed to be curiosity. Or perhaps he was just making sure she was still behind him and hadn't been swallowed by the foliage. She'd hoped the stunt with the closet had been a joke, but the man, Ace she reminded herself, did little to dispel her fears. Expecially since the moment they exited the tower he turned sharply to the left and led her into the forest despite her protests and exclamations that she was positive she'd seen the castle in the opposite direction. At least he'd been considerate enough to hold the branches from smacking her in the face every time he pushed past them so far. "Hey, can you hear me?" She called, stumbling slightly over a root before quickly regaining her balance.

"You ask a lot of questions." He grinned over his shoulder at her. Alice would have been offended if not for his playful expression. "This way's a short cut." He finally replied, his words soothing her concerns a tiny bit until he added with a chuckle, "Possibly."

Alice stopped in her tracks. "What do you mean by 'possibly'? You do know how to get to the castle, right?"

Ace laughed merrily, "No worries! We'll get there eventually." He paused for a moment, looking around himself with a thoughtful expression sliding across his features. "Now…which way…?" Alice was about to declare that she refused to go any further, that she was going straight back to the tower to ask Julius for help, but the realization that she had no idea which direction it was in made her pause. She couldn't even use the sun for guidance as the trees hit the sky mostly from view.

The man took advantage of her distracted state by grabbing her hand in a firm yet surprisingly gentle grip and pulling her after him as he marched in another (what she now knew to be) random direction.

"This way, Alice."

The girl's jaw dropped at his use of her name. He had been so polite before calling her 'Ms. Liddell'; why did he suddenly get so friendly? She stumbled after him as his long stride was a bit too quick for her to follow gracefully, though the rough terrain did little to help either. The exertion of wandering around the forest during the middle of the day in the heat when she was not exactly dressed lightly left Alice sweating and panting. He legs began to ache and she was about to complain when Ace suddenly halted. She took to moment to catch her breath before looking up to see the man staring at something to their left. She followed his line of vision only to freeze at the sight of a large brown bear standing about ten yards away. Though the beast's body was turned in another direction, it's beady black eyes seamed to spark with malice as they met her own frightened blue-green ones.

"Uh-oh." She heard Ace mutter before he took off in the opposite direction from the bear, her arm practically yanking out of its socket as she was pulled after him. "This way Alice!" He called back to her, though the angry roar of the bear drowned him out mostly. She heard it crash through the underbrush in pursuit of them.

"Why is it chasing us?" Alice cried out as they dashed around a particularly large tree stump. She could hear the beast huffing and puffing behind them. A part of her wanted to look back, but her fear of tripping kept her gaze glued to the ground in front of her.

"She probably just wants to play." Alice wanted to gape at the stupidity of his words, but as she was already panting from running around more than she was used to, no one would have been able to tell the difference. "There's no way we can outrun her…up this tree Alice."

He skidded to a stop and she bounced off his back. Before she could fall on her rump, Ace grasped her waist with his hands, his fingers almost completely circling around her before hoisting her up…and up until she found herself eye level with a thick tree branch.

"Up you go. Grab on."

The girl quickly complied, clumsily dragging her body up. Ace leaped and pulled himself up with ease. It wasn't enough though. The bear was too big and would easily be able to reach them if it stood on its hind legs. Ace quickly helped Alice to the branch above their heads before following. Alice looked down for the first time to see the bear directly under them, reared up and narrowly missing Ace's leg as he climbed up beside her. If the bear had not lost her balance for a moment, Alice was uncertain whether her companion would have been able to escape or not.

"Bears can climb trees!" Alice suddenly remembered, fresh panic filling her, but Ace just shook his head.

"Yeah, but we're in luck. Look, quicksand."

"Huh?" Alice looked down to where he was pointing and noticed the bear backing away from the tree, her feet sinking a little with each step as she lumbered to safety. Alice supposed it was rather odd for the bear to lose her balance when she had her front paws pressed to the tree for support. Alice watched the frustrated animal stomp around the tree, testing the ground only to retreat when she began to sink.

"It sure is lucky we didn't get stuck." The man beside her commented as he slid down to sit on the branch. Grinning innocently up at her, he patted the spot at her feet. At her glare, he added, 'We might be here a while."

"How are we supposed to get down from here? We're trapped!" She snapped, gripping the trunk as she reluctantly complied with his silent request. Once she was seated as comfortable as she could be given the situation, Alice looked at him expectantly. He looked so blithe that she honestly could not understand why she bothered though. The guy was obviously unreliable.

"Worry not, Alice." Ace chuckled from beside her on the branch. "On my honor as a knight, I vow that I shall rescue you."

The girl looked at him, doubt about his supposed knighthood etched across her face. Granted, he did have a sword, but so far he got her in more trouble than not. "Considering how you are just as trapped up here as me, how do you plan to do that?" She demanded rather than voicing her opinion.

Much to Alice's chagrin, instead of answering her outright the man replied optimistically, "It'll all work out in the end."

She opened her mouth intending to give a sharp retort when the world suddenly went dark. Panic filled her as she instinctively latched onto the man at her side, causing them to teeter precariously on the branch for a moment until he managed to steady them. Alice paid no attention to the strong arm that wrapped itself around her slim waist, instead asking why it suddenly went dark.

"It just became night is all."

"But it was just midday a second ago! What about sunset?" Despite knowing dreams did not always make sense, Alice was still skeptical.

She felt Ace shrug at her side. "It's just the way things work here."

Frowning, Alice relaxed slightly as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. Looking up she could make out stars glittering between he branches to the thick canopy around them. Below them the bear continued to circle the tree, grumbling to itself as it carefully avoided the quicksand.

"You know Alice, you sure are lucky. I believe this is the first time I've been chased by a bear, gotten stuck in a tree surrounded by quicksand in the dark before."

Alice wanted to add, 'All the while being lost in the middle of a strange world with an idiot,' but instead opted to sigh dejectedly and drop her face into her hands. Somehow her day had become even worse than the one before. She was so _unlucky_.


	6. A Cat In A Tree

AN: Wow… I think this is one of the quicker updates. Huh. Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Oh, and its Silla's move next. Mwa ha ha.

Chapter 6: A Cat In A Tree

"How long can night possibly last?"

Alice groaned and leaned against the rough tree trunk behind her, frustration evident in her voice. She had been in this tree, on this branch, with Ace, for at least an hour. All things considered, it wasn't a long time. Or at least, it wouldn't be if it wasn't for her companion's constant chattering.

Ever since he declared her to be lucky he had started to talk about his various past adventures, all of them involving him getting lost- though he used a wide variety of different words and long sentences that meant the same thing just to describe it- and all of them involving him somehow getting to his destination, even if it was several hours after the time he originally started moving. Alice hoped that his being able survive his outings and get to his destination would extend to her this time, but somehow it seemed like an impossibility. Really; how do you get out of being lost in the woods, stuck in a tree surrounded by quicksand, with a hungry bear circling it, after dark?! It's an unlikely situation to get into, and a situation that one is even less likely to get out of!

Ace's continued speaking broke into the blonde's thoughts, "-and I thought I was going to die! But then I grabbed onto a vine and climbed out of the bottomless pit to safety, only to realize the vine I had grabbed was actually a _really_ big poisonous snake! So then I pulled out my sword and-" he leaned forward to glance at the bear that still paced below their tree, easily switching from his story to a brief sentence, "Wow, that bear sure is determined, isn't it! Anyway, I pulled out my sword and tried cutting its head off, but I missed and it got _way_ madder. I ended up turning around and running all the way to the Clocktower." He paused and took a deep breath before continuing, "Another time I went into the woods and got too close to-"

"Stop!" Alice finally snapped, covering her ears with her hands futilely, "_Please_ just… just stop _talking_!"

The male on the branch next to her blinked and was about to say something in response when a different voice in the trees piped up, "Yes, please do shut up Ace. You're starting to give me a headache."

At the sudden voice Alice shrieked and flung herself at Ace, clinging to him in surprise and fear. Ace, though startled at her movement, didn't seem to mind much seeing as he grinned and settled an arm around her waist contently, looking up at the branches above them.

"Boris, has anyone ever told you that you give girls heart attacks?"

Ace had spoken mildly and the voice responded cheerfully, "Yes, but they meant with my good looks."

"Are you sure they meant _good_ looks and not the opposite?"

"Of course." the voice replied playfully, "I don't have any problems with my appearance, unlike you."

The knight's lip twitched a barely noticeable fraction down, "What's wrong with the way I look?"

"Well…" the voice- male, Alice decided- drawled casually, "You don't look bad, necessarily, but it wouldn't hurt for you to put some more thought into your outfit."

At the voice's comment Ace raised an eyebrow and snorted, "Like your one to give fashion advice, always wearing that strange, pink, poofy thing around your shoulders and-"

"Enough!" Alice pulled away from the knight she'd been clinging to- with some effort due to his arm still being wrapped rather tightly around her- and darted annoyed blue-green eyes between Ace and the space above them that he seemed to be talking to, "Who is up there? How do you and Ace know each other? Just _what_ is going on here?"

Ace chuckled, "Sorry, I forgot you didn't know." He made a loose gesture with a hand in the general direction of the higher branches, "C'mon, Boris. Get down here and introduce yourself to Alice."

"Alright."

There was a rustling of leaves above the duos' heads before a figure dropped from the leaves and branches above and gracefully landed on a branch next to them, "My name is Boris. Nice to meet you Alice."

The man in front of them grinned, showing pearly white teeth that seemed ever so slightly sharper than normal. Despite the odd sharp teeth, gold eyes, and pink hair that flopped over one eye the thing Alice noticed first was the large pink striped boa that hung loosely around his shoulders and almost down to his feet- well, that and his pink pointed ears and matching tail that both held various gold hooped earrings on them. Alice wasn't above admitting to herself that she had a strong urge to grab, pull, and pet the man's ears and tail.

The girl's jaw dropped openly and she gasped, "He… but… how… he has cat ears!"

Ace grinned at her shocked exclamation, "So he does."

"How is it possible? A person with cat ears… it's just unheard of!"

Boris smirked, "Well, I _am_ pretty remarkable- there's no argument there."

"I believe Alice said "unheard of", not "remarkable"." Ace pointed out, an eyebrow jutting up slightly, "There is a slight difference in meanings there."

"Barely." Boris shrugged at the knight before plopping onto the branch and sitting comfortably cross-legged, turning his attention to Alice, "So how did you end up stuck out here with Ace, Alice?"

Alice sighed, deciding to let the strange occurrence fall under the category of oddities that can only happen in a dream, "I'm new here and don't know my way around, but there's someone I need to find and Ace was showing me the way."

Boris winced, "My sympathies. Word of advice- don't let Ace take you anywhere. Ever. Not if you want to get to your destination on time, that is."

"So I've found out." Alice said wryly.

Boris stood easily and went over to the girl, patting her shoulder comfortingly, "There, there. I'll help you find your way if you'd like. Just tell me who you need to find."

For the first time in a while Alice seemed hopeful, "I'm trying to find Peter White."

"Peter White?" Boris wrinkled his nose and his ear went back, "Why would you ever want to find _him_?"

"Well, you see," Alice began, "Peter White is the one who brought me here. And then he ditched me at the Clocktower."

"Oh." The pink-haired man blinked thoughtfully and his ears returned to their normal positions, "I guess that means we're going to Heart Castle. C'mon, I know the way."

Ace frowned a little and crossed his arms, "I know the way, too." He paused before his eyes suddenly glinted with a triumph Alice didn't understand and he smiled, "Besides, what are we going to do about the bear? And the quicksand?"

"Don't forget being stuck in a tree at night- wait, never mind. Forget about it being night." As soon as the word night had passed Alice's lips the night turned to day, leaving her blinking rapidly to clear her eyes from the dizzyingly quick change.

Boris got a competitive look in his eyes- which, like Ace's earlier triumphant one, Alice didn't understand- before he looked down at the still-pacing bear below them, his gold eyes scanning the thick underbrush before glancing quickly at Alice, "Normally I would suggest we jump down and run like hell, but you wouldn't be able to get very far with that dress, or at least not without someone carrying you-"

"Got it."

Before either Alice or Boris could object Ace scooped Alice into his arms and jumped from the tree- easily clearing the quicksand- and landing agilely on the ground with a dull thud before shooting off in a sprint in some random direction. Alice, of course, was screaming the entire time. The bear, having seen their sudden jump from the tree turned with a roar and lumbered quickly after them. Boris, who had been in the tree until this moment, cursed, jumped from the tree, and followed.

As Ace ran through the woods at high speeds he laughed maniacally, only making Alice scream louder and cling to Ace for dear life the best she could while being held like a princess. After several minutes of running- though it seemed like much longer to Alice due to her unbridled terror- they somehow managed to lose the bear and Boris and- amazingly enough- get even more lost.

Now, instead of being stuck in a tree in the middle of the night with an annoying chatterbox Alice is alone with said chatterbox in a beautiful sunlit meadow filled with beautiful flowers, colorful butterflies, and soft grass.

Alice's eye twitched.

She tossed her hands in the air and groaned to the pleasantly smiling Ace, "Great. Now what do we do?"


	7. Peace and Quiet

Chapter 7: Peace and Quiet

"It can't be healthy to be so stressed all of the time." Ace commented with his annoyingly cheerful grin still plastered on his face. "You need to relax."

She shot another glare in his direction, but all of her words died at her lips. She'd tried repeatedly to explain to him the seriousness of the situation, yet he remained oblivious and optimistic.

They were lost and he was absolutely no help.

With a long sigh she sank onto her knees in the tall grass and glanced around herself as she struggled to calm her rising temper and panic. At least they were out of the tree and away from the bear. The field was nice too. And it was daylight again. Perhaps it would be best to just stay there until someone, such as the cat boy from before, showed up. Boris seemed to know what he was doing, while it was obvious that Ace hadn't the faintest clue.

Alice nodded in affirmation at her decision. She would not let Ace lead her further away from civilization.

As the man flopped down beside her, Alice debated attempting to chew him out once more, but his ridiculously happy expression left her at a loss. There just was no winning against him.

"Hey, look at the size of this spider!" Alice winced at the volume on her companion's shout. She gawked at him before frowning once more. With a gulp, she slowly leaned forward to pear over his shoulder.

Normally Alice did not mind spiders too much, but sitting with a giant one in tall grass where she could not see it did make her slightly apprehensive.

"W-where?"

"Right here." Ace lifted his thickly-gloved hand with his index finger extended. Perched on the end was a large brown and hairy spider. The critter's spindly legs clung to its perch. The man had his finger (along with the spider) inches from her nose within the timeframe of a single blink.

"Too close!" She squealed, throwing her body back. Ace snickered and pulled his hand closer and inspected the arachnid. Startled by Alice's cry, it rushed from his digit onto his upturned palm.

"Come on, Alice. It's just a little guy. He won't hurt you."

"I-I know…b-but...you just…I mean…" A fresh wave of fury erupted within her and she leapt to her feet. "You just don't shove spiders in other people's faces!"

To the girl's surprise, he simply lifted an eyebrow and smirked. There was a considerably dark and almost sadistic look in his eyes that gave her chills. Perhaps he wasn't such an idiot after all…or harmless. He'd startled her on purpose and wanted her to know it!

Upon her realization, Alice balled her hands into fists. She may not have said most of what she'd been thinking about him all day, but it was possible he could sense her patronizing thoughts. Had she angered him? He wouldn't hurt her would he?

Alice became uneasy, suddenly remembering that she was in a strange world that Julius had admitted to being in the middle of a civil war. Ace probably wasn't what he seemed. Determined to be more cautious around him, Alice swallowed her pride and anger, and began to lower herself back to the ground, but further away from Ace. He was gently lowering the spider back into the underbrush, a faraway look in his eyes.

"If you plan to stay in this field to rest, I might as well set up my tent." He suggested. Alice nodded absently until she realized what he'd said. She did a double-take of his person, eyeing his lithe yet sturdy form under his heavy, red coat. Did he say_tent_? Where was he keeping a _tent_?

Feeling her scrutiny, the man turned to her and blinked questioningly at her. Alice blushed at being caught looking him up and down the way she had been. She opened her mouth to give an excuse, or even to ask about the tent, when the most horrific, painful, ear-splitting, and hair-ripping sound entered the clearing.

Instantly the duo's hand clamped over their ears, but it was not enough.

"Erg! What is that?!" Alice wailed.

Ace winced. "We must be near the Amusement park."


	8. A Not So Nice Trip

Chapter 8: A Not So Nice Trip

"Amusement Park?"

Alice's question was barely heard above the terrible shrieking that surrounded them, "Yeah." Ace said through gritted teeth, "The Amusement Park."

Though she could barely think due to the sound, Alice managed to remember Julius mentioning something about an Amusement Park being one of the four territories in Wonderland. Wouldn't that mean… people? Civilization? Someone other than this directionally challenged, scarily sadistic, nitwit?

Her blue-green eyes suddenly lit with a new determination and she began to stomp in the direction of the thing that sounded like it was being murdered slowly. She had barely moved a few feet before Ace noticed and spoke.

"Shouldn't we be going away from that… that _sound_… instead of going towards it, Alice?"

_Amazing_, Alice thought, _He knows when I'm going towards something? I wouldn't have believed it after all this time stomping god knows where after him, in a direction he claimed was _towards_ Heart Castle._

"Ace, if there is an Amusement Park in that direction, there are people. And if there are people, then we can get directions and a possible guide to Heart Castle, cutting this trip down by what could be _weeks_." Alice huffed over her shoulder, "So I'm going."

Ace shrugged- though his hands were still clamped over his ears- and said, "Very well. I'll lead-"

"NO!" The blonde shrieked before stuttering, "Th… that is, um…"

The knight chuckled, "I was just kidding. Besides, it's impossible to _not_ be able to find something that sounds like barn animals getting gutted and cooked while they're still alive."

Alice just nodded weakly and began to tromp in the direction of the noise that could drive sane person mad. As the duo walked through the jungle the undergrowth got thick and the trees got tighter together, making it harder to walk. Alice's dress started getting snagged and she tripped almost constantly. Ace meanwhile, simply breezed through with his long legs and smooth gait.

At this point the noise was unbearable and Alice was almost cross-eyed from the sound. Unable to focus her foot snagged on a root and she tripped, though unlike the previous times, she was unable to catch herself.

In seconds her face met the ground with a comical _splat_.

Instantly laughter erupted from the knight ahead of her. Alice looked up and saw him doubled over with his hands on his stomach as he hooted and chortled merrily, clearly not thinking of helping her. Another thing that was clear was that he had been close enough to catch her and had chosen to let her fall.

The girl's face went red with fury and she was about to start yelling at the man when she noticed the noise reminiscent of a sick siren had stopped. She paused, pointedly ignoring the still-laughing Ace, and looked around in confusion.

A rustling in the bushes to their side made both her and Ace look over to see a man step out, a violin in hand and a look of surprise on his face. He glanced at Alice and spoke.

"Need any help getting up, Miss?"


	9. Sunny Path

I am so sorry for taking so long to release this. I have been super busy (which is ridiculous since this is only, like, a page long). Oh well, now it's Rosie's move.

Chapter 9: Sunny Path

Alice blinked up at him for a moment before smiling, unable to hide her relief. She offered her hand, to which the newcomer took and helped her to her feet.

"Thank you." She said brushing dirt and leaves from her dress. The girl sent a pointed look toward Ace, who'd calmed down from his laughing fit. He smiled back.

Scoffing at him she turned to look up at the tall man dressed in the most garish-looking yellow suite. Green eyes shadowed by shaggy, brown hair blinked back at her from behind thin spectacles.

"Good afternoon. My name is Alice." Taking a deep breath and hoping that her luck had changed for the better, she continued. "Do you happen to know where we are mister…?"

"Just call me Gowland." He replied with an upbeat and friendly smile. Glancing at her companion, the older male said, "Lost again, eh Ace?" The oh-so-clever comeback came in the form of a shrug. Chuckling, Gowland turned back to the girl. "We're on the eastern boarder of my territory. I was about to return; I could show you the way. Where are you trying to go?"

"Heart Castle."

"That's not on the way, but you can see it from the Amusement park." He smiled and rubbed the back of his head while motioning toward the part of the forest he'd stepped out from. Alice found that the way his eyes scrunched up as he smiled calmed her nerves. He seemed so kind…like a big brother…

Grinning, she nodded her head. "Thank you!" She declared. Glancing at Ace (who was lounging against a tree patiently and looking absolutely carefree), the girl marched over to grasp hold of his arm. "You! Come on, we won't be lost anymore!"

He had the gall to look disappointed, but allowed her to drag him along without much complaint.

Alice followed Gowland eagerly, eyeing his violin with curiosity. Had he truly been the one making the horrid, screeching wail before?

"Mr. Gowland, if you do not mind me asking, but why are you way out here?" Ace snorted behind her and Alice wished she could kick him. Alice, recalling both her sister's past lectures on being ladylike and her earlier experience in the field with the spider, knew better than to prod at a sleeping serpent though.

"I wanted to practice," He lifted his instrument for her to see, "But everyone told me to do it where no one can hear. I 'spose they want to save it for a show." Alice felt her heart tug at his blissful expression. Poor guy just didn't realize how bad he sucked…and she just couldn't bring herself to tell him.

Deciding it was time to change the subject, Alice inquired how much farther until they reached their destination.

"Not too much longer. You can hear the music."

Sure enough, when the girl tilted and listened, _really _listened, she could pick up the faint sounds of carnival music. Excitement bubbled up in her. Alice tried to fight it, but the louder the music became, she found her eagerness swelling even more. Her fingers dug into Ace's coat sleeve, earning her a questioning glance. She chuckled awkwardly and shook her head.

Distracted by her interaction with the man, Alice miss-stepped and ended up treading upon a fallen branch. Her grip on Ace kept her from falling, but the echo of the snapping wood sent jolts of surprise through the trio. The sharp noise had barely faded before the sky turned dark once more, as if the sun had been blown out. The girl let out a yelp and once more dove into Ace's side before realizing her mistake and blushed. She pushed away from the sturdy form, unable to meet his eyes.

"You okay?" Gowland asked from his place ahead of them.

"Yes…I'm just now used to the time change…"

"She's an Outsider." Ace supplied helpfully.

"I see. Well, no worries. We're just about there." Alice could barely make out his arm through the darkness as he pushed aside some foliage before the most brilliant sight met her eyes: the Amusement park shone across the field they peered across, glittering and seeming to dance with the stars against the night sky.

Alice suddenly felt like a little kid again.


	10. Sickly Amused

AN: Silla's turn. ^_^

Chapter 10: Sickly Amused

Alice groaned from her seat on an amusement park bench, head resting between her knees in an attempt to slow the rapid spinning of the world around her. When she had first come across the ride-filled place of wonder she had been enthusiastic in the exploration of it, loving the giddy feeling that she remembered from visits to such places in her childhood. It wasn't until later that her enthusiasm died a painful death.

Now, the blonde had always thought of herself as fairly capable when it came to speedy rides, but what Ace had dragged her onto could hardly be considered a _ride_. It swerved and dropped and spun and flipped its rider every which way, not even giving them enough time to recover from the last thing done to them before the next occurred. It wasn't until it was over and Alice had stumbled off of it did Gowland- who had said they could try out the rides for a while in the first place- have the chance to say that the ride was experimental and had yet to be tested by a guest.

Right.

_Stupid Ace_, Alice moaned internally, _pulling me onto that deathtrap and not even feeling sick from it afterwards!_ Her stomach did another lurch and she covered her mouth, blue-green eyes closing automatically, _I'm so glad I haven't eaten anything in a while, or else it would be covering the ground right now_.

"Wow, Alice," Ace quirked an eyebrow from his place standing near her, "I never pegged you for the type with a weak stomach."

Her eyes snapped open once more and she glared at him, "Ace-"

She didn't continue because she felt ill again, turning her gaze back to the ground to stop herself from dry-heaving. If only Gowland hadn't left her alone with the brunet so he could get her something to drink. She'd prefer his company- or any of the park attendants', for that matter- to the man she was quickly realizing to be quite sadistic.

Ace, seeing her almost pained expression, crouched and leaned close to her face as he frowned, seemingly concerned for the first time since she had met him. He pulled a glove from one of his hands and gently touched her forehead, his own face moving even closer to hers. He was so close that Alice dimly noticed that his brown eyes had a reddish hue to them. Or was that the amusement park lights reflecting in them? She couldn't tell.

"You're really pale, Alice," he cocked his head, "and kinda cold, too."

The blonde snapped from her musings about his eyes and- upon realizing just how close the male had gotten to her- jerked herself away from him, face flushing quickly. His bare hand remained on her forehead, however, and he began to laugh.

"Now your face is hot!" He grinned, "I didn't think someone's face could change color so quickly!"

She pulled his hand from her forehead and opened her mouth to lecture him when Gowland- without her promised drink- walked into view, "Sorry it took me so long, I got distracted by…" he paused, blinking at the close proximity the two seemed to be in, "I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?"

Alice's face flamed in embarrassment, "No!"

"Good," a different- but familiar- voice hummed, "I don't think anyone wants to see you and Ace making out."

Alice sputtered indignantly and Ace sighed, putting his glove back on, "I see you've found us again, Boris."

The cat-eared man stepped out from behind Gowland and snorted, "Did you doubt I would?"

"No," Ace said brightly, "But I was hoping it would take you a little bit longer."

"As if," Boris snorted, "This is my home territory. I could find you easily."

Alice's companion gave a smug smirk, "Then why did it take you as long as it did?"

He bristled instantly at Ace's comment but Gowland spoke before he could, "Anyway, you can see I was distracted by Boris here who said he was looking for you two. Somethin' about being able to help you two find Peter White?" The amusement park owner shook his head, "I guess that explains why you want to go to Heart Castle, but I can't figure out why you'd want to find him, though."

Alice lit up at the news and she stood, all traces of feeling sick gone in an instant, "You'll still help us find Peter White? Truly?"

Seemingly taken aback by her excitement, Boris gave a weak smile, "Uh… sure. I don't mind."

The blonde had the sudden urge to hug him, only restraining with the knowledge of how unladylike it would be, and smiled gratefully, "Thank you!"

"No problem," was his easygoing reply.

Ace simply plopped onto the bench Alice had been occupying until that moment and sulked.


End file.
